| For the King |
The King
ag[ainst]
Thomas Warde |
Indicted on the 10th Section of the late ˆ Indempnity
Act for carrying fire Arms in order to be Aiding and Assisting in
running prohibited and uncustomed Goods. |
| Sussex |
The Indictment sets forth that the Prisoner at the Bar
& several other persons to the Number of three or more since the
24th of June 1736, to wit, the 28th day of February in the 10th year
of his present Majesty's reign at Bexhill in this County feloniously
were assembled and Armed with fire Arms & other offensive Arms
& Weapons, to wit, with Blunderbusses Pistolls Cutlasses Sticks
& Clubs in order to be aiding & Assisting in the carrying
away uncustomed Goods Against the peace of our said Lord the King
his Crown & Diginity & Against the form of the Stature in
that case made and provided. |
| Not Guilty Pleaded |
The Case |
| |
The Prisoner at the Bar is one of the Infamous Gang
of Smugglers that belonged to Groombridge & Strick terror unto
the whole Country and is Usually called Bulverhith Tom-In January
he was sent over Sea as Merchant to buy a Cargo of Tea & to
bring the same over in a Folkstone Smugling Vessell And it was Agreed
to Land the same at a place called the Great Groyns in the Parish
of Bexhill - The 28th of February 1736. Robert Morton the head of
this Gang with about 20 More Armed with Blunderbusses Pistolls &
other Arms went cross the Country down to the Sea side and at the
appointed place found the Boat & the Prisoner in it with about
30 or 40 hundred Weight of Tea - Immediatly the Gang with the Prisoners
Assistance unloaded the same and then the Prisoner had a Blunderbuss
delivered to him and the[y] Carried about 80 hundred Weight of Tea
Cross the Beach to an adjoyning Wood and went back for the remainder
and as they were preparing to Load the Same on their horses Several
Custom Officers & Soldiers came down upon them and a Skirmish
ensued and a Great many fire arms discharged & three of the
Smugglers horses were killed & John Catt one of the Gang taken
Prisoner who was afterwards try'd convicted and transported for
this offence-The rest of the Gang went to the wood and Loaded up
the Tea these Secured on their horses and being all arm'd carried
the Same cross the Country to Groombridge
|
| |
To prove the Case and that the Def[enden]t assisted in Landing the
cargo of Tea & afterwards carrying it through the Country with
the rest of the Gang & that he was Arm'd with a Blunderbuss. |
Rob[er]t Pope
Will[ia]m Weston |
| Note Pope and Weston the two Witnesses were part of
the Gang of Smugglers & have been Indicted for this offence but
a Noli Prosequi from the Attorney General is entred upon Record |
| |
The Prisoner is a very Notorious Smuggler & Since
the Indempnity Act has been Guilty of Several Offences of the like
Nature, as this in the Indictment & can be proved by these Witnesses
but we hope this is Sufficient to convict him |
